Phonograph sound-box.



No. 660,275. Patented Oct. 23, I900.

F. MYERS.

PHONOGRAPH SOUND BOX.

(Application filed Mar. 22, 1900.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

FREDERICK MYERS, or NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE s'rYLoPHoN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PHONOGRAPH SOUND-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 660,275, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed March 22,1900. Serial No. 9,758. No model- T 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK MYERS, a Citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State. of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Boxes for Phonographs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others IO skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

5 My invention relates to. sound-boxes for phonographs; and the objects of the same are to provide means for giving the proper tension to the diaphragm to compensate for climatic changes, to regulate the intensity to any degree necessary, and to give accuracy to the inflections and articulations of v0cal-productions.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means forregulating and adjusting the diaphragm to increase the amplitude, to

improve the quality of reproduction, and to improve the sensitive qualities to give a more perfect imitation of the human Voice.

These objects are attained by means of the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a soundbox provided with a metal disk for holding 3 5 the pivoted lug on the end of the stylus-lever in constant contact with the diaphragm. Fig. 2 is an under side plan view of the sound-box with the metal disk and stylus-lever removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the metal disk. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same on line as m, Fig. 3.

Like numerals of reference designate like parts in the different views.

In said drawings the numeral 1 designates 5 a sound-box,which may be of any suitable construction and is provided with a diaphragm 3, which may be made of any suitable material, but is preferably of fibrous board or paperstock. A gasket 4 is placed upon each side of the diaphragm, and resting upon the outer gasket is a thin sheet-metal disk 5. This disk has a keyhole-slot 6 formed therein, and a spring-tongue 7 is formed from the disk by the slits 8. The end of the spring-tongue is bifurcated by the'smaller portion of the keyhole-slot6. Thisspring-tongueisbentslightly inward from the disk, as shown in Fig. 4. A guard or cover 9 is pivoted to the disk 5 to cover the larger portion of the keyhole-slot 6. Instead of the cover 9 Imay, however, use a disk of ordinary paper, which may be slitted and secured by paste or cement to the outer surface of the disk to prevent the sound from dissipation or dissemination outward from the sound-box. A log 10, formed on the edge of the disk 5, fits into a recess 11 in the rim of the sound-box. The sounder 12 is held up against the diaphragm by the bifurcated end of the spring-tongue 7. When the diaphragm and the disk 5 are secured in the sound-box by the threaded rim fitting the screw-threads in the sound-box or in any suitable manner, the enlarged end of the sounder 12 may be passed through the enlarged portion of the keyhole-slot in the disk and moved under the spring-tongue between the bifurcated ends thereof, the pivot-pin 13 being first removed. The spring-tongue holds the sounder up into contact with the diaphragm with a gentle pressure, which pressure, however, may be regu- 8o lated by bending the spring-tongue 7 more or less, as required. The thin metal disk 5 prevents deflection or outward dissipation of the sound-waves, and owing to the spring-pressure of the tongue 7 the sounder does not re-- quire to be secured by glue or otherwise to the diaphragm. This construction has been found very efficient in giving amplitude, superior quality of reproduction, and great sensitiveness.

By means of the spring-tongue 7 the tension of the diaphragm is adjusted to regulate. the intensity to any degree necessary and to compensate for changes in climate.

Without desiring to be limited to theeXact o 5 construction shown, as I am aware that many changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, what I claim. is

1. Asound-box for sound-producinginstruxoo ments, comprising a hollow box, a diaphragm therein, a thin metal disk held in a plane parallel to the diaphragm, an aperture in the metal disk, a spring-tongue formed on the disk, said spring-tongue being bifurcated at 10 its free end, a sounder held in contact with the diaphragm by the spring-tongue, and means for holding the diaphragm and metal disk in a sound-box.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK MYERS.

Witnesses:

SAML. A. DRURY, E. F. CAVERLY. 

